Automobile headlight



July 9, 1929. D. A. REED 1.720.431 AU'rooBILE HEADLIGHT Filed aan. s, 1925 Patented July 9, 1929.,

'AVUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT..

Appucation filed January s, 1925. serial-N. 1h70.A

".This-invention relates to headlightsfor automobiles, and is directed particularlyto reducing .the glare, without Athe corresponding reduction of adequate illumination.

5 ,In the automobile headlights as now in common use, as two cars equipped therewith approach eachother. in passing, there is a. glare from each, projected Ainto the zone ot vision of the driver of the other car,rwhich creates atior near the point of passing, a danger .zzone through which each driver must pass, as well as to any pedestrians that may be using the same highway.

. :The primary objeetof this invention is to reduce this glare, andto eliminate the danger zone at thepoint of approach and passing of meeting automobiles.

This Objectis attainedhy means of an attachment or c'ooperative element for automobilehcadlights, whichcan .readily be api plied to any of t-he several forms of automobilelieadligllts now in common use, and by which the beams of light from the lamp rclector may be so controlled intheir projection, that they will be limited to a fixed and restricted area, without reducing the intensityof the bea-ms of light directed to illuminate the Aroadway over whichthe car is approaching.

The invention consists in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts hereinafter more fully described and partie# ularly 'pointed out in the claims.

In Athe accompanying drawings forming a pai-tof this specification, Y

Fig. ly is an elevational View of the device; Fig. 2 is'a view ofI aheadlight partly broken away,`a1id having the invention lapplied thereto; F ig'. 3 is a horizontal section; and

40 Fig. llis a detail of the means for operating themovementof the device. l f i: It will be understood that I do not limit myself Ato the specific fornrof device shown inA` the drawings, as I may employ other forms to carryout the spirit 'of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a headlight casing of the usual form, l1 the parabolic reflector, 12 the light source, 1 3 the 5g lens,.1fl the lens seat, 15 the rim of the headlig it casing Whilfi holds the lens' 11.5, against the seatl/a To those skilled in theart, it will be observed thatniy. invention comprises a co-op. erative element adapted tobe placed within the headlight easing, intermediate of the lens andthelight source, andcomprises an annular ring member -16, ositioned in concentric relation with the rim 15 of the headlight casing.

To maintain the annular ring .member '1,6 in a lixed position, there. is` formed on its outer edge a flanged rim Uadaptedto be interposed between the lens 1 3,-` and the lens seat let, a form'of fasteningwellknown in the {LIlL I 2. i ..v-KV

Mounted within theannular member 16 and concentric therewitlnis an innerannullar member 18', adapted to form the supporting means for the .lightbearn controlling means, The light lbeamcontrolling means comprises a plurality of vertically disposed partition members or slats .20." These slats 2O are ixedly mounted in parallel relation to each other on the inner surface ofthe annular member l18, and form therewith an integral part of the co-operating element herein referred to as the lightbeam control. The inner annular member 18, is mounted within the annular member 16, on the vertically disposed trunion membersll) andl9 .which pass through andhave' bearing contactrin the annular meniber16. Bythis form of mounting the annular V'member 18, ,is adapted to be oscillated ,in.a horizontal plane, upon and with respectto the annular member 16. i f p y For :the purpose of'eonveying oscillating movement to the member 18, thelower trun nion member ,519 is adapted to extend through the casing body to a point exterior thereof, and to have mounted on such eXtension, the bell crank2l. y. In `the usualapplication of Ailluminating means for automobiles, a pairl of companion headlight-sare mounted in spaced. relation on the yfront end of the car. -In carrying out my invention, it is desired ,to maintain the horizontal :axiswofthe slats 20 of theone headlight Vbeam control, infixed relation with the same axis or the slats 20 comprising the light beam control of` the companion light. This may be al parallel .relation or it may beat a slight angle, the pesitielnng of iro slats of the other companion light-the cross bar E22 is suitably connected to the bell crank 2l, mounted on the extendeditrunnion 19 of each companion light.

The cross bar 22 has at the 'one end," a slidable extension 2.2 which is adapted to be fied'lnettended position on l'the cross bar 22'55" the lliun'ib nut Q3, :lull 'liy'u'liieh a Variationoftlieposition ol angularity 'ot the faeestit the slats Q0 ot the one lighlt,h`iay be had tl-'ith' 'the ctiirrspoildiiig lac'e's oi the' slats 2'0 'of-the other vedinpzlni'on light;4

' To provide fo'r changiiig the setting'o the angularity o'l' the laces of4 the slats 2l), the crossfbarQQ is suitably 'eoniiecte'd lto ,the actuating el'ahl''lf, which is eonneeted to 'ther'od 25, eteilding to an operative 'positllili 'Within' the (llishfeoutl (not shown). ""llleflhoillitiiig*ofthe annular ineniber 1'8 of each of the companion lights 'for oseil- 'atihg "iilyellieiitg "facilitates placing the in'a-paiall'el, orin ah aiigiilhr relation to tlle l'ac'estot'the slats 20 of the other companion light; "i The rays of light projecl'ed directly toreuiahd,"t'r'oin theligh't source, pasls'through the liitervehiii'g sphees'betijeeii the slats 20, This ilite'rf'enin Ofspaee which Will allouY a direct beai If light. yto pass therethrough, indy be diiliiiiish'd by eh'anging the angularity7 of the faees (if the'slfats Q() with the 'anis of the light beams emanating troni' th'e liglit souree. Tliisis a'eeolnplished vby'uu oscillating nieveientot the light beam coiitrol element, coinpri'siilg 4tl'iev 'annular rirein'bei' vlS, supporting ll'i'esll'iy 90, in a horizontal plane, 'andwhen this'niox'teilielit is di'r'eeted 'to the rght, or clokvisdlhe angillfiltT Vol the 'faces o'l' the 'slats pos'i'tibied t' thelieft of a medial line with the vertical .axis ot' the li'glit S'orli'ee, Will be 'eforiiespoildingly icrealefd, in ratio as th'e' 'slats' are increasingly' spaeed apart l'r'in la@ iii-edili une. By um leckte-se'ultramar 'ofthe ligl'iteoiitll nieihb'el"referred )tofthe praag er um Sita-e an auf alla: of ua n1-@ain line referred to, are coriesphiidindly brought int 5=`1ea'1"er=alignment \`\f"lththepoin't ol light sources A'sthe oseilla'ting vmth/"einent ol 'tlie li'gl'it co'ntrol .ninb'er is inaugurated, the ligl'it beamsordinarily p'sslig `tl11'ough tlle inter'- v'e'ning'spacefletween the slats farthest 'to Jdie 'let't 'ofthe rne'dial lineret'erred to, will `be the lrstliglit' beams to be yarrested and cut olf. Correspondingly, the planesof the slats po'- sitione'd'toithe rifh't 'of the 'in'edial with the wat 'f lagie soiree, ein' be progfesiviy brought into parallel relation with a line ex- Vrightl hand side of the road over Which the To those skilled ein.' "the art, it will be aplparentthatday the means herein disclosed,

that the glare of the headlight will be progressiyelylutolf on the left, or on that portion et the road over which an approaching yehicle :is traveling, and thatthe ,llurriihation df the roadway to the right, ill be' Cdr'- 'rrspohdin'ly ther-eased. Thiswil be a'ee'oni'- plished by the oseillati'lig movement of the light lo'eaxii conti-'ol el'eient ih'l'tselt', oi' "by the giadiial tll'rning,lr of tllel cai to the right, iii giyii'ig way lo an approachili'g `yehile.

When the degree ol aiigularity of the slats has o'nee been determined as lthe xho'st ellecL tive positionto 'properly eliininate the glare, byfthe turhing of the cal* itself, slieh angularityliiay lje fixed, and 1the inanually oplet# at-ed means dispensed lwith;

It will also be apparent o those skilled in beani control el'eine'rit'loif one of the com# panion lights, may be adaptedtb'redh'c'z'e th'e amount-'ot light b'e'aiiis" assing ith'i"etl'irlrlgh to a greater degree 'than through thetlther eoinpaniorilight, and when thi's'angularity 'and 'the 'opposite sides of tte'sl'ats arel rovided 'with "a nonijellecting 'or dull Slr 'a'ce' .so as to ah'so'rh the light rays projected thereoi. I rl`he angle ot' deflecftili 'at 'Wlfiifhthe slats 20 amy b. p'osjtiucl to ott-ain' the results sought, yis 'comparatively Slight, lbut the capabilities of defl'e'etion i'na'y be 'sullieien't to render hy devie'e available for use in those oealiti'e's and to more etf'e'ctiv'ely carry -out 'this lune'- ti'oh, the lfate ilfay be i'n'cre'i'ise'd and. placed in Closer rel'ati'oh.

Having Lthus described my inve'i'iti'on, vh'at I 'elainrand desi're to 's'e'cure by L'tt'e'r's Patent is- 1.,]n "a headlight 'for vehicles, a Casing, a 'eflectoutliere'i'n a souree ol light mounted centrally of the relleetor, and a unitary piyoted st'ri'ieture operable 'on a'verti'cal axis and including Vertical Va'nes for; ,d'eeting outwardly from the path of travel', "when said unitary structure is shifted, the greater portion of the direct rays from the source of specified in claim 1, in 'which said unitary light and simultaneously reducing the numn Structure comprises a plurality of spaced ber of reflected rays .near the opposite side parallel vanos having lixed relation to each 10 of the pat-l1 of travel, all oi the rays loeing` other. 5 projected in :.111 approxinmtely horizontal In testimony whereof I have wllixeil my beam. signature.

2. A device constructed and operating as DANIEL A. REED. 

